Dozens of women from the Marshall Islands are traveling to the U.S. every year to adopt out their babies to U.S. families despite government efforts to crack down on this unique baby pipeline. We examine the people and practices that are continuing to perpetuate the problem.

University of Hawaii researchers tracked dozens of hungry tiger
sharks to a remote atoll in the Papahanaumokuakea Marine
National Monument this summer. Civil Beat photojournalist Alana
Eagle documents the expedition in this multimedia special report.

A Civil Beat Investigation: In Hawaii’s workers’ comp system, people with long-lasting injuries are often forced to battle doctors hand-picked by insurance companies to get treatment and disability payments.

Six months after police found Aaron Salazar comatose along a California railroad track, the Kaiser High School graduate is using his newly regained speech to dispute Amtrak’s claim that he hurled himself out of a moving train in an attempted suicide.

“I want you all to know I did not jump off the train,” Salazar, 22, said on Nov. 28 in a cell phone video his family posted on Facebook. “I would never, ever try to kill myself.”

Salazar, whose voice is now shaky and robotic, is recovering from a brain injury he sustained May 15 while traveling on Amtrak’s California Zephyr.

He went missing from the overnight train as it approached the station in Truckee, California. Police later found him foaming at the mouth and critically bleeding in a remote area along the tracks with no vehicle or pedestrian access. He was in a coma for two weeks.

How Salazar got these injuries is a point of dispute between Salazar’s family and investigators for the Amtrak Police Department.

Amtrak Police Chief Neil Trugman said at a press conference in Truckee on May 29 that Salazar, who is gay, was “very distraught” on the train. He said Salazar appears to have jumped out of the train in an attempted suicide and there is no evidence of a fight or altercation.

Salazar’s family members say they haven’t been given any evidence to support Amtrak’s theory that Salazar jumped from the train — a scenario that’s inconceivable to them. They believe he could have been the target of a hate crime.

Kaiser High School graduate, Aaron Salazar was injured while riding an Amtrak train. Police said Salazar attempted suicide. His family claims he was the victim of a crime.

Contributed by the Salazar family

Aaron Salazar’s grandfather in Hawaii Kai, Michael Mathieu, said the FBI stepped into the investigation in September, collecting a DNA sample from Salazar four days after Civil Beat published a story detailing the Salazar family’s doubts about the Amtrak police investigation.

A spokeswoman for the FBI’s Sacramento field office declined to confirm or deny whether the FBI was investigating.

Mathieu said it’s his understanding that the DNA sample would be used to help in an analysis of Salazar’s clothing to see if an attacker may have been present.

Amtrak told Civil Beat in September that its investigation remains open pending an opportunity to interview Salazar about what happened on the train.

Sonia Trujillo, one of Salazar’s cousins, said she contacted Amtrak last week to alert investigators about Salazar’s speech recovery and his insistence that he did not attempt to injure himself. She said she has not yet heard back from Amtrak.

Amtrak sent Civil Beat the following statement: “We are glad Aaron is improving and look forward to talking with him and any other witnesses as part of the investigation.”

The mystery of what happened to Salazar continues to torment the Salazar family, who have spent the last half-year helping him recover and pushing for an independent police investigation.

Salazar is now settled in his family’s new home in Colorado after spending six months in hospital care. His mother and sister relocated to Colorado from Hawaii to support him.

Salazar receives physical and speech therapy three times per week at Craig Hospital, which specializes in traumatic brain injury rehabilitation. He has limited mobility and cannot walk on his own, his family says.

“He’s very upset about what happened to him,” Mathieu said. “He’s like, ‘Why would anybody do this to me?'”

Mathieu said Salazar wants to move forward with his life and return to his college studies, but “he doesn’t think he could pass a test right now.”

Although grateful for his grandson’s gradual recovery, Mathieu said he wants answers.

“Six months ago we didn’t think he was going to live, so we’re blessed,” Mathieu said.

Sign up for our FREE morning newsletter and face each day more informed.

Sorry. That's an invalid e-mail.

Thanks! We'll send you a confirmation e-mail shortly.

A note to readers . . .

Civil Beat focuses exclusively on the kind of journalism most at risk of disappearing – in-depth, investigative and enterprise coverage of important local issues. While producing this type of journalism isn’t cheap, you won’t find our content hidden behind a paywall. We also never worry about upsetting advertisers – because we don’t allow any. As a nonprofit newsroom, we rely on donations from readers like you to help keep our stories free and accessible to everyone. If you value our journalism, show us with your support.

Sign up for our FREE morning newsletter and face each day more informed.

Sorry. That's an invalid e-mail.

Thanks! We'll send you a confirmation e-mail shortly.

And don't worry, we hate spam too! You can unsubscribe any time.

The only news outlet in Hawaii dedicated to public affairs reporting.
Our mission is to engage and educate the community on important public issues through in-depth reporting, explanatory and investigative journalism, analysis and commentary.

Best Overall News Site

Civil Beat has been named the best overall news site in Hawaii for the 7th year in a row by the Society of Professional Journalists Hawaii Chapter.